Published 2 years ago
by
Anthony Taormina
, Updated September 8th, 2014 at 6:57 am,

Forget Sylvester Stallone, forget removing the helmet, and most importantly forget Rob Schneider. Lionsgate’s reboot of the Dredd property promises to be a faithful adaptation of the IPC Media comic, preserving all that fans love about it, and leaving everything else out.

While Dredd 3D doesn’t hit theaters for another couple of weeks, its writer Alex Garland is already looking towards the future. He’s not yet attached to scribe a Dredd sequel – and box office returns have yet to show audiences are interested – but Garland, nonetheless, has begun mapping out how he’d like to see future stories play out.

Speaking over on the 2000 AD Forums, Garland revealed that if a Dredd sequel were to happen it would throw classic Dredd icons like Fargo, Giant, the Angel Gang, and even Satanus into the mix. Conventional audiences might not be familiar with this venerable feast of characters, but Dredd fans will know them as integral pieces of the fiction.

Chief Judge Fargo, for example, is the founding father of the Judge System and was Mega-City One‘s first chief judge. More importantly than that, though, Judge Dredd is a clone of Fargo, making them essentially father and son.

Back when Fargo was first introduced, the writers had yet to establish this connection, and even revealed Fargo’s likeness, ostensibly giving the mysterious Dredd a face. That being said, we doubt that will happen in the films, as the fact Dredd keeps his helmet on from start to finish is a major selling point.

A character like Satanus – a blood thirsty tyrannosaurus rex - is a really arduous undertaking, but if done well could make the sequel really unique. The Dredd films released thus far – both the Stallone adaptation and Dredd 3D – have tried to keep the story somewhat grounded, but the inclusion of Satanus would be the writers accepting every element of the comics whole cloth.

There could be a lot of characters to balance for a single film, but Garland seems to have it more fleshed out than he’s letting on. He reveals that he’d like the character of Chopper – a graffiti artist turned sky surfer – to balance out the story, opening and closing the events of this second film.

If I was involved in a second movie, it would be about origins and subversion, and Chopper would feature. In fact, I think Chopper would start and end the story. Apart from him, my rough plan involves Fargo, Giant, Angel Gang, and a version of Satanus.

Garland doesn’t want the film to end there, though; he’d like to see Dredd round out a trilogy with the Dark Judges serving as the main antagonists of this third movie. The Dark Judges are the epitome of the Judge Dredd villains, as they are undead versions of Judges who believe in the eradication of all life. Their thinking is that, since only living things can commit crimes, eliminating all living things (mainly humans) will prevent the potential for crime.

Even cooler than that, the Dark Judges (Death, Fear, Fire, and Mortis) are like the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse in that they have unique appearances centered on a specific idea. Judge Fire, for example, is constantly immersed in flames. But Garland doesn’t want these Dark Judges to be a comic book parody of the Horseman; he wants them to be truly scary.

I think I’d try to make [the Dark Judges] really scary. Not play them for laughs. Just make them totally malevolent and lethal. And use practical effects where possible, except for Fire, which would be an on-set nightmare…The existential side to the Dark Judges is that they don’t see a point to life. If my film-trilogy daydream was to play out, I would completely rewrite my original script for the Dark Judges – because it was junk – and start again.

In addition to info on key story beats and characters, Garland shared a few more details about the proposed trilogy, including the presence of Anderson (played by Olivia Thirlby in Dredd 3D) in all three films, showcasing the Cursed Earth, and the potential of continuing the Dredd story lines in a TV series. Shows like Game of Thrones and The Wire have opened Garland’s eyes to the storytelling possibilities of serialized pay-cable television, and it’s entirely possible that Dredd could work in that space.

But by the way, just so it has been said, I actually think that maybe the best way forward for Dredd is television. American TV has completely rewritten the rule book where filmed drama is concerned. Game Of Thrones/The Wire/Breaking Bad… An equivalent version of Dredd would be fucking great. Imagine the epics…

It’s a lot of (exciting) talk from Garland, but it’s also something his busy schedule may keep him from seeing through. It’s most important that Dredd 3D be a success at the box office, then maybe the 28 Days Later writer can be swayed into scripting out the trilogy.

The verdict is in and Lionsgate (LGF), a leading global entertainment company, announced today that the home entertainment release of DREDD claimed the number one spot on the DVD sell-through and Blu-ray charts with 650,000 units sold, making it the best-selling new release title of the year. Blu-ray units accounted for nearly 50% of week 1 POS at retail. In addition, the critically acclaimed thriller, starring Karl Urban (Star Trek) as the titular character Judge Dredd , was the top film download for the week, outpacing all other titles in digital sales as well. Said Ron Schwartz , Lionsgate Executive Vice President & General Manager, Home Entertainment.

I kinda agree with Garland that future Dredd is TV. Cost might be a factor though but so long as the movie set for Mega-City can still be re-used and added to, I think it’s possible…Personally, I think I’ll sit this one out and wait for the blu-ray/dvd. Plot sounds like a futuristic Die Hard (I) to me but I hope to be pleasantly surprised.

For TV, I’d really love to see cameos from old 2000AD characters such as ABC Warriors, Strontium Dog and, especially, Rogue Trooper.

I’m not sure it’s going to make the numbers for a sequel. Not opening weekend anyway, but I can see it being really popular on DVD and Blu-ray. But studios generally are only impressed by quick, instant opening weekend numbers.

Garland says it needs to make $50M in the US for a sequel. I’d so love to see this as a trilogy. Tv would be great too, but I can’t imagine Urban and Thrilby being involved in a tv show. They’d probably have to recast.

” property promises to be a faithful adaptation of the IPC Media comic”

Please stop saying this. Did you actually read the comic? I did, and this isn’t.

Just look at the two pictures you posted for a start. Look how different the costumes are- where are the giant shoulder pads? Gone. Look at the absurd comic humor in asking Satanus to surrender while tied up. That silly satirical humor was part of the comic.

This movie- and I admit I haven’t seen it- seems just a dark, violent shoot-em-up movie. The comics were so much more.

The Judges still have a badge and an eagle shoulder pad. It looks fine. They tried shoe-horning too much comic stuff into the 95 one and it failed. This feels very Dredd to me. If it gets sequels it can expand into more of the others things that are often in the comic. Garland has already mentioned it (see above).

You clearly didn’t read the comics, so why are you commenting? When you say that the Stallone version was anything like the comics, you just look ridiculous. And saying this costume is like the comic shows you just don’t get it.

I didn’t say the Stallone version was anything like the comics. I said that tried to shoe-horn in too many things from the comics. ie: multiple story arcs from the comics that didn’t belong and were treated in half-baked ways. Characters that were nothing like their counterparts, only sharing the names. Characters, that didn’t even belong in a Dredd story were thrown in because the “looked cool” (Hammerstein).

And why shouldn’t I comment? Despite what you think you know I’ve read a lot of Dredd. And by your own admission on another thread you stopped reading Judge Dredd 20 years ago.

And as for looking “ridiculous” just because I disagree with you??!! That’s absurd! The costume takes no more liberties than most any other cb movie.

Christ relax and stop telling people what they “clearly” have and haven’t done. “Why are you commenting?”, if you’re only doing so to tear a limb off anyone who thinks this looks good?

Just don’t watch the film, then you can’t be disappointed. I’m not saying I’m a Judge Dredd expert, but I’ve read a fair bit, from all periods of Dredd. You dislike Dredd from the past twenty or so years, so this film obviously isn’t going to be what you’re looking for. Your comments come across as very condescending. Maybe you don’t mean them to, but I’m still buzzed for this movie and am very pleased with what I’m seeing.

Maybe if they did a tv show, it might be more of what you’d like to see.

Look who’s talking about being a troll. What does your comment have to do with the movie? Did I address you? Who are you exactly? I commented on the article, like I am expected to. I gave my opinion. You on the other hand, are one of those internet trolls who are not commenting on the article or the movie, but instead making personal remarks.

I don’t know you, and don’t care for your opinion, so don’t address me. If you have something to say about the article or the movie, say it. otherwise, stop being a troll.

While I’m not going to defend all of Etrigan’s comments….their ORIGINAL assertion (that it is not a faithful adaption) I agree with.

The iconic version of Dredd everyone knows is ALL about being over the top visually and extreme with a satirical tone. This version removes almost ALL of that and substitutes those important elements for “dark and gritty realism”.

It’s like the Nolan version of Batman and while it worked for that franchise, I don’t think it will translate as well for Dredd. Those missing elements are at the very heart and soul of the comic and without them all you are left with is an empty shell.

It still might play well for audiences and be successful but one thing it is NOT is Dredd from the comics.

(and no the Stallone version didn’t get it right either…especially with the perceived “need” to have a comedic sidekick >< )

Thank God somebody else gets it. If you really know what Judge Dredd was about, you know why this film (and the earlier Stallone one) completely fail to capture what made the character so special, and the comics so much fun.

If you DON’T know, then you simply don’t know what you don’t know, and there’s no point trying to explain to you. The sad thing is when the filmmakers themselves choose to make a futuristic version of Dirty Harry, instead of bringing what made the comic so special to the big screen.

Yet another violent shooter film with a tough cop killing drug dealers is nothing special. Some people may like it, and it may even make money, but it is a lost opportunity to bring something really original and special to the screen, especially in today’s Hollywood that lacks originality.

I guess they felt a simple shoot-em-up would be easier for today’s dumb generation to process, and from the comments it looks like they’re right.

I get it. As long as you agree with everything you say, you don’t get belittled.

Riksa 1 year ago

Judge Dredd IS a futuristic version of Dirty Harry! That was the whole premise. As a visual reference, Carlos Ezquerra was given a poster of Death Race 2000 starring John Carradine by writer John Wagner and editor Pat Mills (who gave the name to the character) and off he went. When Wagner saw the over the top character sketches Carlos had done, his first reaction was to throw them on the floor! And so he did He mellowed out a little later. But the fact is, I think the original Dredd writer, John Wagner himself, didn’t think this approach was bad.

The satire isn’t corny if it’s done right. “ROBOCOP” did satire perfectly. But I do agree that certain things from the comic may not work on screen. It is, after all a different medium, and amongst all those comic strips there are those that work well and those that don’t.

Cause it’s a mutated genetically grown T-Rex and it’s also Sci-Fi. The Dredd film does not limit itself in terms of the scope it can expand into. It’s a set-up film. It has elements of realism but it is not a realist film. At the end of the day it’s still a Sci-Fi/Fantasy set in the future and we see only glimpses of the larger world outside the city-block.

saw it today! i will say it was really cool movie and lived up to the reviews! what a surprise for sure! and i havnt always been a fan of karl urban – but he took this role and made it his own – plus i would say he becomes the new king of one liners!